Naruto : Crimson wood

Xiahai City was surrounded on three sides by the sea, naturally fortified and easy to defend—yet even such terrain hadn't spared it from the

Xiahai City was surrounded on three sides by the sea, naturally fortified and easy to defend—yet even such terrain hadn't spared it from the

Xiahai City was surrounded on three sides by the sea, naturally fortified and easy to defend—yet even such terrain hadn't spared it from the onslaught of the beast tide.

As their wooden cart approached the city gates, Renji Takahashi looked up at the towering walls, now riddled with gaping holes hastily patched with wood and debris. The surrounding terrain was scarred with craters, and the corpses of massive monsters still lay unmoved, reeking of death and destruction.

The aftermath of the beast tide was evident—Xiahai City had suffered greatly.

"Who goes there?" a voice called down from the top of the wall.

"We're from Azure Dragon Academy in Azure City," replied Haruki Tsukimura, gently pulling the wooden cart to a stop.

A small hatch opened in the steel gate below, and a pair of eyes peeked out. Haruki flicked an identification badge toward the slit. After a moment's inspection, the man inside gave a nod.

"Open the gates!"

With a heavy rumble, the gates parted, and the wooden cart rolled into the city.

"Teacher Haruki, I've been expecting you."

Greeting them was a young woman in a sleek short skirt that clung to her curvy figure. Her shoulder-length hair and bright smile radiated confidence and energy.

She looked to be no more than 24 or 25—mature yet youthful.

"Miss Kazehara, it's been a while," Haruki greeted with a polite smile.

"This is Renji Takahashi and Yuna Hoshizaki, students from our academy," Haruki added, gesturing to the two behind him.

"This is Professor Meiko Kazehara from Xiahai Academy."

"Hello, Professor Kazehara," both students bowed respectfully.

"Ah, so you're the Double S-rank freshmen I've heard about. You two really do look like a perfect pair," Meiko said with a playful smile.

There was something about her energy—it was contagious, uplifting, even disarming.

"The principal has been waiting for you. Follow me."

As they moved through the city, Renji noticed how eerily quiet the streets were. The weight of recent devastation was still heavy in the air.

The once lively streets were sparsely populated—battered and silent.

"Oh, and here's your badge back," Meiko said, returning Haruki's ID with a teasing grin. "It's been so long, Haruki. You look even more charming now."

"You're as radiant as ever, Meiko. If I were younger, I'd be chasing after you."

"You're not that old. There's still time," she replied with a wink.

Watching their exchange, Renji realized that the ever-calm Haruki also had a surprisingly humorous side.

Soon, they arrived at Xiahai Academy, located at the heart of the city.

Though smaller than Azure Dragon Academy, it was still a prominent institution. The damage from the recent beast tide hadn't spared it either—several buildings had clearly undergone emergency repairs.

There were few students on campus, but enough to draw attention.

"Who's that girl? She's stunning… Is she a new transfer?"

"Where'd she come from? She's like a goddess!"

On the other side—

"Hey, the guy's pretty handsome too! Totally my type."

"Meh… he's alright."

The crowd whispered among themselves, unaware that Renji and Yuna couldn't hear a word of it.

Inside the principal's office, Meiko Kazehara knocked thrice before entering.

"Principal, the team from Azure City has arrived."

"Oh, excellent!"

A chubby, bald man in his fifties stood up, his round face beaming with warmth. Despite his age and status, there was no intimidating aura—only a kind, jovial vibe.

"Welcome, Teacher Haruki!"

"Greetings, Principal Tetsuya Mori," Haruki replied, shaking his hand.

"These two are our academy's top freshmen—Renji Takahashi and Yuna Hoshizaki."

"Ohhh, so these are the Double S-rank students I've heard so much about. Good-looking and well-mannered—what a great match!" Principal Mori grinned so hard that his eyes nearly disappeared into his cheeks.

After a bit of small talk, Haruki got to the point.

"Principal Mori, we're here to investigate the cause of the recent surge in beast tide activity."

"In the past half-month, both Azure City and Xiahai City were hit. The timing and patterns are too similar to be coincidence—we suspect external manipulation."

Principal Mori's face grew serious.

"We've been investigating as well, but as you know, we were just hit by a Level Four Beast Tide. Our manpower is stretched thin—everyone is focused on rebuilding and strengthening the defenses."

Beast tides were ranked from Level 1 to 7 based on the highest-ranking monster in the horde.

Level 1 meant a tide led by Level 1 monsters, Level 2 by Level 2 monsters, and so on.

The most powerful beast tide ever recorded—Level 7—happened over 200 years ago in Sanctum Imperial City. It marked the beginning of the Holy Empire's downfall.

This recent tide in Xiahai was Level 4. Over a dozen Level 4 monsters had emerged, nearly breaching the city's core defenses.

Xiahai City, unlike Azure City, lacked any Level 5 psychics.

If Ryoji hadn't led reinforcements, Xiahai might've been wiped off the map.

"Our principal asked us to follow up," Haruki continued. "Do you have any leads or suspects?"

Principal Mori nodded. "We believe this may be the work of the Blazing Fang Sect."

"Blazing Fang?" Renji's eyes narrowed. That name sounded familiar.

He recalled that the strange group they had fought during the beast tide used monsters as suicide weapons—and Yuna had mentioned that they were from the Blazing Fang Sect.

Haruki's brows furrowed. "So they've been active here too…"

"Yes. We need to get to the bottom of this. Meiko, you'll accompany them and assist in the investigation. Prioritize this mission."

"Yes, Principal!"

Haruki stood up and nodded. "We'll begin immediately."

As they exited the principal's office, Haruki turned to Meiko.

"Professor Kazehara, any suggestions on where we should begin our investigation?"

Meiko's eyes turned serious, her voice dropping slightly:

"The City of Sin."

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